How to manage files in the control panel

Open a website in the hosting control panel and click Files. The File manager opens the website’s home directory. Check the website name before uploading or changing anything.

Understand the layout

• The folder tree on the left starts at the home icon. Expand a branch with its plus button or select a folder to open it.
• The header shows the current folder, a back or home button, refresh, New, and Upload.
• The listing shows the current folder’s contents. Its view controls switch between a grid and a list. List view shows Name, Permissions, Size, and Last modified. Use the sort controls shown in the headings to change the order.

The breadcrumb above the listing identifies the website and current folder. Select all shows how many items are in that folder.

The primary website normally serves files from public_html. A domain with a different document root serves files from that directory instead. Check the root in Domains if uploaded files do not appear on the expected URL.

Files such as .bashrc, .profile, and .my.cnf, and the .ssh directory, belong to the hosting environment. Leave them unchanged unless you are carrying out a specific configuration task. Do not put configuration files, credentials, or backup archives in a public document root.

Navigate folders

Click a folder in the tree or listing to open it. Use the breadcrumb, home icon, or back button to return to a parent directory. The refresh button reloads the listing after an upload or another change.

Create new files and folders

1. Open the destination folder.
2. Click New, then choose File or Folder.
3. Enter the requested name and confirm creation.
4. Check that the new item appears in the current folder.

Upload files

1. Open the folder that should receive the files. For content served by the primary website, check whether this is public_html.
2. Click Upload and choose the files from your computer.
3. Review any overwrite prompt before replacing existing files. Keep a copy of files you intend to replace.
4. Wait for completion, refresh the listing, and confirm the expected filenames and sizes.
5. Check the affected page in the browser. An uploaded archive must be extracted before the website can serve the files inside it.

For a full migration, follow Migrate a website, including its database and configuration steps.

Act on a single file or folder

Open the item’s three-dot menu, or right-click it. Available actions depend on whether it is a file, directory, or archive.

• Edit opens an editable file in the code editor. Save a copy before changing application files, save your edit, and check the affected page afterward.
• Download saves a file to your computer when offered.
• Get info shows the item’s details.
• Cut and Copy prepare an item for Paste in a destination folder. Cut moves it; Copy leaves the original in place.
• Rename changes the name. Update references to that path in your application if needed.
• Compress creates an archive. Uncompress extracts a supported archive.
• Permissions (CHMOD) changes access permissions.
• Delete removes the selected item after any confirmation.

An unavailable action appears greyed out. For example, Uncompress is unavailable for a normal directory and Paste is unavailable when nothing has been copied or cut.

Change permissions

Use Permissions (CHMOD) only when you know which access the application needs. Record the existing value before changing it. File and directory requirements can differ; do not apply one value to the whole website to work around an error.

If access remains blocked, check the path and application error before making permissions more permissive. Contact support with the path and error message if you need help. Do not include configuration file contents or passwords.

Act on several items at once

Select individual items or use Select all, then choose an available action for the selection. Check the current directory and every selected item before a move, archive operation, or deletion. Clear the selection when you finish.

Caution

Treat deletion as permanent. Download files you need to keep, or create a manual backup, before removing them. A backup is useful only if it contains the required files and is still available when you need it.